With You
by XxstreetlightpplxX
Summary: John is put on a Case that not only helps him find love again, but makes him realize that family is first and work is second. Jolie fic in the future.
1. Chapter 1

Taking a little break from my other story. Tell me if you guys like this idea. I love reviews. I want to know what you guys think. I got the idea around 2:00 the morning. Lol

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"This place smells funny." Mackenzie wrinkled her nose and looked at her father. "We aren't staying here long right?" She looked around again. She would only be here on the weekends. It was small, but cozy. The woman up front only had one room left. A one room bed with a kitchenette. It was big enough for her and her dad and that was all she needed.

"No," John replied. "Just until I can find a nice house." He sat down next to her on the couch. "Since your mother took everything, we get to stay in this beautiful shit hole till I can find something." he smiled at her as she laughed.

"It doesn't matter where we live, as long as I'm with you dad, I'm satisfied." John took those words in. He loved when his daughter said things like that. She loved him so much and he the same but his work had gotten between their relationship, and his marriage for that matter.

All he did was work and his now ex wife Caitlyn was tired of it. He couldn't blame her, work all the time. But the thing that hit him most: he cheated on him. He felt it coming. They were seeing less of each other. He came home one day early to surprise her and found her in his bed, their bed, with another man in it. Chuck. The bastard. He was his partner back in the day and were real good friends. And then his life flashed before his eyes and he was sleeping with his wife. How dare he. He heard the door knock, bringing him out of his thoughts.

"Great Up-Chuck is here." Mackenzie said sarcastically.

"He's not supposed to be here for another hour." John looked at his watch. They both got up from the couch and made the way to the door with her stuff.

"So, I have a dance competion tomorrow afternoon. Can you come?" She bit her lip, knowing the answer to her own question.

"Sweetheart I'll try. You know I can't promise anything because of…"

"Work-work. I know, just thought maybe you could this time." She looked down at the ground disappointed. He hated doing this to her. But without work, John McBain was not a complete man.

"Hey, Hey look at me." he raised her chin as they both heard the Chuck-mice-ster banging on the door loudly again. They both ignored it. "I love you, you know that right?" She smiled up at him.

"Of course I know that daddy. I love you too." She hugged him tightly, not wanting to leave.

"You better go, asshole is waiting." John said with displeasure on his face. He opened the door and threw Mackenzie's stuff at the man.

"Hey honey did you have fun? Chuck asked the teenager. She looked at him like he was stupid.

"Don't call me that. Bye daddy." She made her way downstairs. Chuck watched her walk off and then looked back at her father.

"Bye baby. I'll call you…Chuck." John said as he was shutting the door. Chuck's hand stopped it from shutting all the way.

"John, Can we talk?"

"Oh you want to talk? Here let's talk about how you fucked my wife behind my back Chuck. Well um see when I was at work you were fucking my wife. There, we talked now get the hell out of my doorway before I make you." John stood his ground. What an ass. Thinking he could come up here an hour early and think they could talk? The nerve. Chuck sighed and made his way downstairs.

"Oh yeah I expect my daughter an hour early Friday." he yelled and slammed the door shut.

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"It's a party at my friend Shane's house." Mackenzie sighed. She hated when John would third degree her about where she was going.

"Okay and what are you going to be doing?"

"Well first, we're goanna smoke some crack, go run around town naked, and then come back and have sex so we can have a million new babies in Lanview." She said with a smile, but then her smile turned upside-down when she saw that her father wasn't laughing.

"I had plans for us, to go out and eat." He asked his boss if he could have the night off to spend time with his daughter. He needed to make it up to her for missing her competition.

"Yeah, well I had plans that you would be at my dance competition but what we plan never turns out right now does it?" she said coldly. As the words left her mouth she regretted them immediately. But she wasn't one to back down. She knew that there was a possibility that he wouldn't be coming. But she got tired of hearing a maybe, getting her hopes up, only to be let down when she would look behind the certain and never find him.

"I told you that I might not be able to make it." He sighed. Of course she would throw that in his face.

"You always say that!" she screamed. "For once don't you think you could put your family before your work?" The heated argument came to a halt when they heard his phone ring. John looked between his daughter and his phone. It was his boss. Tears brimmed in her eyes as she knew the answer to her question.

"I guess I just found out. I'll call you when I get home if you're not here." she wiped the tears away and walked towards the door.

"Kenzie, wait." She rummaged through her purse and pulled out a DVD, slamming it on the table.

"Since mom records everything, she made you a copy. The dance that I did was in memory of your dad." She looked at him once more and walked out the door. "You better pick up your phone before the big man gets upset."

John listened to the door slam and sighed. She was right…So right. He answered his phone.

"McBain,"

"John, its Bo. Can you come down to the station? I know this is your day off but I have an assignment for you."

"Yeah boss, on my way." He grabbed his coat and on the way out he grabbed the DVD.

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"Can I get another one?" John asked the waitress. She smiled politely.

"Sure McBain." as she walked away he pulled out the files on the new case he was working on. Christian Vega. 31 years old. Murdered in cold blood. The suspect was his girlfriend and little brother. Natalie and Rex Balsam. Apparently she shot him and took off with her brother. Afraid of being caught, they came back to their hometown Lanview. The boss man told him to take a couple of guys with him and find where they are. Lanview was a small town so they couldn't be far. He would figure it out tomorrow, the storm was getting worse out there and he didn't want to risk anything. The waitress quietly sat the beer down on the table.

"Thanks sugar." he chugged the rest of his beer down as he was filling in the paper work on the laptop. He stopped for a moment and pulled out the DVD of his daughter's dance. He put it into the laptop and began to watch.

She was so graceful. The way she moved was delicate, like she was on air. As he looked closely there was something that she would pick up from time to time, and then set it down. He squinted a little, and then realized, it was a picture of his father. He felt like crying then and there. He couldn't believe he did that to her, missing her dance. A tribute, it his own father and he was fucking working. He remembered the birthday where she learned that his promises were never for real.

FLASHBACK

_Mackenzie looked around, all the gifts were open, the cake was eaten and the people were gone. She licked the 9 candles that were in the cake. He promised. He promised this time that he would make it. She could hear them fighting in the kitchen as she sat their in the living room looking at her new stuffed animal._

_"I said that she doesn't want to talk to you. You missed her fucking birthday John and on top of that you swore to her that you would be here. Why don't you just rip her heart out huh?"_

_"I told you I had a lead in the case! What was I suppose to do? Just let the guy go so he could go raping more girls? No! I took the lead and ran with it and I found him. So sorry for helping out the fucking community." he yelled back. _

_"And you couldn't get somebody else on the force to get him? You broke your daughters heart John, does that mean anything to you?" she walked away to the bedroom and shut the door. John ran a hand through his hair. __He felt__ hands wrap around his __waste. __He looked down to see Mackenzie hugging him. He bent down to her level as she rewrapped her arms around his neck._

_"Hey baby girl." he whispered and picked her up, waiting for her to readjust herself in his arms. "I'm sorry I'm late."_

_"It's okay daddy. I understand. Why were you and mommy fighting?" She asked as she laid her head in the crook of his neck._

_"Mommy is mad at me because I missed your birthday because…"_

_"Of work, I know daddy…I know."_

_END OF FLASHBACK_

John swigged the rest of his beer down and left money on the table, leaving the bar quietly. When he got to the hotel he noticed Mackenzie's car in the parking lot, letting him know that she was home. He checked his phone and noticed the missed call and voicemail.

_"Dad, I'm home. Love you bye_" He listened to the message as he entered the room and saw her laying down on the bed with the T.V on, book in her lifeless hands and Charlie the Great Dane on the bed. He started the growl but then realizing it was John he got up and wagged his tail.

"Hey buddy," John said patting his head. He saw Mackenzie stir and watched her slowly open her eyes.

"Dad?" she questioned, and rubbed her eyes. He sat on the side of the bed and pulled the covers up on her, taking the book she and, folding her place and sat it down on the nightstand.

"Yeah it's me. Go back to sleep baby." giving her a kiss on the forehead he started to move to the couch. Mackenzie undid the fold tuck and sat up some.

"Wait…wait dad?" She said half asleep. Her words started smashing together. "…love you….you smell like beer." He let out a scoff and walked back over to her.

"Yeah, I had a couple." He smiled at her. She looked all like him, and the only thing she got from her mother was her strawberry blonde hair. He pushed it out of her face as she slowly slinked down back into the sheets.

"Take an Advil, before you sleep…" she let out a big yawn. "Do you want your bed?" John let out a small laugh.

"No, you and Charlie wouldn't fit on the couch, I'll sleep there." He re-tucked her in the sheets. "I watched you're dance, it was beautiful, just like you."

"Thanks daddy. Night night." She said snuggling deep into the sheets.

"Night kido. Sleep tight."

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"Thanks, mom. I…I didn't know who to turn to I…I'm Sorry." Natalie let out a small cry. Rex was already asleep on the couch in the hotel room.

"Don't worry baby, mamma Roxy has got you're back. You let me worry about the coppers okay? Get your rest; I'll wake you up in the morning." Roxy shut the door quietly. Natalie sat down on the bed and cried herself to sleep, ready for the morning to bring hope.


	2. Chapter 2

New chapter for the new year!!!...yeah that was corny. LOL have a happy new year! Review please!!! They help me alot!

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Charlie slowly got up off the bed and went over to John nudging him. John stirred some, but went right back to sleep.

"Go away." he mumbled. Charlie barked loudly.

"Kenzie! Take you're dog for a piss!" he yelled and got up. "Thank you for waking me up ya big lug." Mackenzie walked in quick with a leash.

"C'mon Charlie, I want to go back to bed. Lets make this quick." She grabbed her coat, and connected the collar to the leash.

"You're going out in that?" John asked, looking at what she was wearing, boxers and a tank top and a winter coat.

"Yes, I'm not putting on clothes just to go and take them off again."

"Fine, freeze you're ass off you'll learn." he said with a smile, watching the Dane drag her out of the room.

"Charlie slow down." She frowned. It was too early. He flew down the stairs. She walked over to the front desk and rang the bell.

"Yeah doll face?" Roxy asked smacking her gum loud

"Um, yeah I was wondering where I could find a park or something grass for my dog?" Roxy leaned over and looked at Charlie.

"Whoa. Huge dog. Hey you're McBain's kid right?"

"Yeah unfortunately." She said with a smirk.

"Oh honey, don't be sorry that is a hunk of man right there. He's so rugged and well let's just say I'd like to take him and…"

"Ewe. That's okay I don't want to know the rest."

"Oh yeah. Daughter, I forgot…hey you looking for a man? My boy Rexy is and town and he's a cutie." As the words left her mouth Rex bolted down the stairs in nothing but a towel.

"Mom something's wrong with the…Hi." Rex said in a seductive voice. "Rex Balsam. And you are…"

"Too young for you." she said smartly. "I'll just find a place for my dog, thank you though."

"No problem doll face and you know," she leaned over again and signaled for her to lean as well. "Can ya put in a good word for ya pop's for me?" she winked at Mackenzie.

"Sure thing Roxy. Nice meeting you Rex." Pulling on Charlie's collar she headed out the door.

"Yeah whatever." He laid his head down on the bar table.

"Aw honey don't be mad she told ya no, so what? She's to pretty for you anyways, WAY out of your league." Roxy giggled

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." he pouted, and went back up the stairs.

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John put his t-shirt and shoved his badge in his pocket. He couldn't believe the weather outside. He's never seen snow like this since he was young.

"Father," Mackenzie shut the door and smoothed her hair down form where it was under the hood. John pulled out the last doughnut from the box and threw it in the trash.

"Offspring."

"You were right about freezing my ass off and you have jelly doughnuts at work right?"

"…Yes…why?" She ran over to him and snatched the doughnut from his hand and ran to the bathroom, with John following right behind her.

"Good then I can eat this one!"

"Get back here with that doughnut kid!" She slammed the door in his face and locked it.

"I'm going to take a shower and then head over to the station. I'm babysitting Jamie today. Bye daddy." John pounded his fist on the door.

"Gimme back that doughnut!" Mackenzie cracked the door a little and then fully opened it, the evidence all over her fingers and face.

"What doughnut?" he looked at her astonished and then laughed.

"What doughnut? I'll see you later be careful on the roads there slick."

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"Ok, try it again." Natalie looked at the motor again as she yelled at Rex to try and start up the car again. The snow was falling down fast and they had to get out of Lanview. Roxy saw on the news earlier that they were looking for the twosome. She gave him her money to last them a weeks worth of food.

"I don't think its working." Rex said doubtfully.

"Ok, there's a gas station up the road, we'll just walk up there. Call a cab or something." She watched her brother's facial expression. "What?" she asked.

"Were goanna walk?"

"Well what do you want to do Rex? Wait for the cops to get here? I don't think so. Get out of the car and let's go!" Rex sighed and pulled his hood up, ready to brace the cold.

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"Yeah Bo, I'm on my way, have you found anything else?" John was driving down the road at a high speed. He was late as usual but Bo was on pins and needles this time and was really worrying about this case.

"Yeah well you're going to smack yourself in the face when you hear this." John heard Bo say as he picked up his cup of coffee and sipped it slowly. The car suddenly hit a bump in the road and coffee spilt all over his lap and the seat of his car.

"Ah, fuck! Hold on a second Bo." He bent down to the glove compartment and rummaged around to find some napkins, taking his eyes off the road for only seconds.

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"Rex look out!" Natalie pushed her brother out of the way of the oncoming car. They went tumbling into the snow as the heard the car crash into a tree. Natalie sat up and crawled over to Rex.

"You okay?" she asked looking at the bump forming on his head. She touched it lightly, watching it swell up.

"Yeah I'm fine, what the hell was that?" he asked and looked over at the car, seeing the driver was not moving. They both got up and ran over there. Rex got between the car and the tree, being careful of the broken glass. He looked at the man. His dark brown hair now covered in blood. Grabbing his hand he checked for a pulse, it was weak.

"We got to get him out of here Natty." He looked over and saw that she was already on the cell phone, making a call to 911.

"Make sure he's still breathing." she nodded her head over to him. She contemplated on whether or not to leave him then mentally smack herself. That would have been cold hearted. They would have to think up of something before the ambulance would get there. Maybe they could leave after they pick him up. They wouldn't need to go right?

"Hey man, what's you're name?" Rex asked watching as the male's eyes fluttered open. He slowly looked around, confused on where he was at.

"John…McBain." He tried to undo his seat belt and get out of the car.

"Whoa man, I mean John." He pushed him lightly back down. "You were in a car accident, don't move okay? You're head is bleeding and god knows what else. Just stay there an ambulance is on the way." Natalie came up to Rex.

"Its almost here, is he okay?" John looked over at the redhead and never saw anything more beautiful and stunning. She was a ray of shine with her rosy cheeks from the cold and flakes of snow softly lying in her hair.

"His head is bleeding; I think he's going in and out. What are we going to do when they get here?" Rex asked in a panic. They couldn't get caught they just couldn't.

"We'll figure it out when the time comes. Just keep him at ease okay?" Rex nodded his head, thinking back on how this whole mess started.

FLASHBACK

_"Christian, not now. Rex is here_. _Let's talk about this later. "She whispered. Rex was sleeping on the couch, out like a light._

_"Well what the fuck is he doing here anyway?" He was angry and drunk. She hated days like this._

_"He and his girlfriend broke up and he needed a place to stay."_

_"Well why does he have to stay here?" He flew his arms in the air. "You know what this means right?" In one quick step he shoved her against the wall, her head banging against it._

_"Christian I…I" He stopped her stutter by slapping her in the face and shushed her by putting his hand over her mouth._

_"Shut the fuck up! I'm tired of you're bullshit. You will do as I say. Got it?" He dug in his pants with her still up against the wall and pulled out a gun. Before he could do anything they heard a bang and Christian felt a sharp pain in his back. He turned around to see Rex standing up with a gun in his hand. He charged at him, rage in his eyes and felt another shot go into him in the heat. He fell over as Natalie and Rex looked at each other._

_"Rex what the hell did you?" she asked bending down and tried to find a pulse._

_"I-I reacted. He was hurting you Natty. I d-didn't know what to do." he stammered and starting pacing the floor._

_"Fuck, no pulse…he's dead." She ran to her room, grabbed some clothes and shoved them in a duffle bag. Remembering the money she had stashed away in the dresser, she got it and put it in the duffle bag also._

_"Natty what are you doing?" Rex was confused, the adrenaline pumping threw him. He was coming to the realization that he had killed someone._

_"We are getting the fuck out of here. Grab your stuff and let's go. We're heading to Lanview for the night."_

_"I don't think."_

_"Rex! Don't ask all these questions it's only going to be minutes until the coppers come. The neighbors probably heard the shot. Now shut up and let's go! I'm going to take care of this." Rex nodded his head. He knew his sister wasn't playing around. He leaned over and grabbed his bag and jacket, shutting the door on the way out._

END OF FLASHBACK

"You trust me don't you? " Natalie asked, putting a hand on her brother's shoulder.

"Of course I trust you; I just hope nothing bad happens." He didn't look at her, he stared at the John man, making sure he was still breathing.

"I'm going to take care of this. Don't worry." she kept her hand on his shoulder, keeping him calm until the they could figure out what they were going to do as they waited for the ambulance to come.


	3. Chapter 3

Okay so a lot of DRAMA! But I want to try and give you guys something good before I sort of fall off fan fiction for awhile. Ha-ha. I have exams coming up and I'm studying my butt off! As always let me know what you guys think! Reviews make my day! Oh yeah this is the longest chapter I've ever written…. EVER!

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Mackenzie made her way into the station and found Jamie right away in Antonio's office, coloring in a book. She came in and sat her stuff down as Jamie turned around.

"Mackenzie!" she squealed and ran up to the teenager, wrapping her small arms around her thighs. Mackenzie hugged her back and bent down to get eye level with her. She looked so much like Antonio that it was frightening. The sparkle in her eyes were just like her fathers.

"Hey Jamie. Are you ready to have some fun? You will never guess what I got at the store yesterday." She unzipped her backpack and started to pull out a DVD.

"What is it Mackenzie? What is it?" she asked repeatedly, wanting to know what the big surprise was. Mackenzie pulled the surprise all the way out.

"Hannah Montana's first season on DVD. I got the last one." She watched the child's eyes light up and her smile widen with excitement. She handed it to her.

"Oh my goodness!" she said in a big girl voice. "Lets hurry home and watch it. We can sing-a-long and stuff! Come on!" She started pulled Mackenzie out the door. She laughed at the little girl.

"Whoa there Jamie. Where's you're dad at? We gotta tell him that we are going," She peaked her head out the door and looked around, seeing nobody she grabbed her stuff and Jamie's. "Lets go and try Bo's office." Jamie ran to her and grabbed her hand.

"You get the limo round front," Jamie sang as they headed out Antonio's office. Mackenzie looked at her and laughed, joining in.

"Hottest styles every shoe every color." Jamie giggled at her as the older of the two broke out into song, dancing her way down the hallway. She egged Jamie to do the same. "Now where you're famous it can be kinda fun." Mackenzie twirled in a circle like a ballerina and bent down sticking her hand out to Jamie. The young girl took it and turned herself around.

"It's really you but no one every discovers." They both giggled but suddenly stopped when they heard Bo clear his throat. There faces turned a crimson red as they both looked down at the floor. Bo smiled at the two and bent down to Jamie's level.

"Was that Hannah Montana you were singing Miss Jamie?" he questioned her. Jamie suddenly turned bashful and looked at the floor again.

"Yes. Mackenzie bought it for us to watch." She said showing the commissioner the DVD.

"Wow. Say why don't we watch that in one of the spare rooms?" Bo asked her. Antonio came out of nowhere and put a hand on Mackenzie's shoulder, a serious look on his face but hid it somewhat well in front of the child. "You're dad needs to talk to Mackenzie about something important." Jamie looked up at her, not knowing what decision to make.

"Jamie its okay. You go ahead. Papa and I gotta talk about stuff." she butted in going along with the plan. She didn't know what it was about but had a feeling that it was pretty important.

"But what about your DVD?"

" Jamie I bought that for you. We'll watch it later at you house. Maybe a sleepover sometime? Okay?" Jamie ran up and hugged her again. Mackenzie picked her up.

"Promise me you'll show Bo how to shake his booty." she giggled with her and bumped noses.

"I promise." Antonio gave Jamie a small kiss on the cheek as Mackenzie put her down on the floor, giving her things to her.

" Come on Uncle Bo." Jamie pulled him by the hand around the corner. As soon as she left Mackenzie looked at Antonio. Her mood suddenly changed as there was fear behind her stunning blue eyes.

"What's wrong? Where's dad?" she questioned and started looking for her father. Antonio stopped her and put his hands on her shoulders.

"He was involved in a car accident. Michael wouldn't tell me what condition he was in over the phone. He wanted to wait till you got there." He watched her start to look panicked and stuck her hand in her purse looking for her keys.

"I-I gotta get over there." Her hands were trembling. Antonio grabbed the keys from her.

"I'm going to drive you over there. Bo told me to. Besides John would have my skin if I let you go out there when you're panicked." He cracked a small smile and she did the same, but it didn't last long. She wanted to get to her dad.

"Okay lets just get there." she followed her father's friend out the station.

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Natalie and Rex sat outside in the commons area. The man that they helped. He was Chief of Detectives of Lanview. Great, that was just there luck that would happen.

"You know, we go and do the Jesus thing, and stayed with that dude and he turns out to be a detective copper guy. We have some luck don't we sis?" Natalie just looked at him. They thought so much alike at times that it freaked her out.

"Look we have nothing to worry about. Okay? Just stick to the plan alright?" she whispered.

"Right…..wait a minute when did we come up with a plan?"

"Just now, did you tell the doc your name while he looked at your bump?" she raised her brow at her brother.

"Natty do you think I'm that stupid? I avoided it all costs."

"Good. I'm Amanda and you're….."

"Dean! Let me be Dean!" he yelled excitedly. "I've been waiting to use that name for months." Natalie rolled her eyes.

"Fine, at least that's better than you last name." She laughed at the thought.

"Hey, Bartholomew was a great name and I got to be a priest."

"Anyways," she interrupted "If they ask for ID tell them that…"

"Its back at the car I know Natty I know." Natalie slid down the seat and leaned on her brother's shoulder, waiting for the paper's to fill out so they could get the hell out of there.

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Mackenzie rushed into the hospital and looked around for her uncle. Antonio went as fast has he could to get over here but to Mackenzie it felt like an eternity.

"Mackenzie!" she heard her Uncle Michael call her name and turned around in the direction it was coming from. She ran over to him.

"Where is he? I want to see him. Is he okay?" Michael grabbed her hand.

"Calm down. John is okay. He need some stitches on his forehead and he's pretty bruised up. So other then being a pain in the ass he's doing fine. I'm going to have to keep him over night, he bumped his head pretty good." Michael smiled at her as he watched her fear fade away. "Let me take you to his room and make sure he's not throwing a tantrum." He put his arm around her as Antonio followed behind them, keeping an watchful eye on the red and blond headed people sitting on the couch outside the hospital rooms. Michael waited outside the room and watched Mackenzie make her way inside the room.

She looked at John as he sat up and looked at her, dangling his feet over the bed. There was a line of stitches on his forehead like Michael said and he had a ace bandage around his right arm. Mackenzie felt tears well up in her eyes and walked over to him.

"Come here." he said with his arms wide open. She went into them and hugged her father around the neck gently, shedding a few tears. He wrapped his arms around her. "Hey…hey, just a few scrapes and scratches. Nothing more." She looked up at him.

"Don't scare me like that ever again." John pushed her hair back behind her ear. He never had seen her so scared. Not even when he and Caitlyn divorced.

"I'll try not to." he said with a smile. They heard the door creak open and John came face to face with Caitlyn.

"Mackenzie why don't you go pester Michael?" Mackenzie looked at her mom and then back at her dad. She could see her mother throwing daggers with her eyes as her dad did the same.

"Dad I'm not five why can't I-"

"Kenzie," John growled in a low tone. Mackenzie sighed.

"Alright…hey mom."

"Hey Mac-a-doodle. This won't be to long." She smiled at her as she walked out the door. Mackenzie walked downstairs to the commons area and noticed the blond kid Rex from this morning.

"Rex?" She questioned. Natalie and Rex's eyes opened wide. He slowly got up and looked to see who it was that called his name. It was the girl from this morning.

"Hey…um. Wait I never got your name." he said showing his pearly whites. 'Play it cool.' he thought.

"Yeah Mackenzie McBain." Rex froze. Natalie looked over from where she was sitting and noticed her. She looked exactly like the McBain guy the helped and then when she heard her name she put two and two together.

"Did you save my dad?" She asked.

"T-that's you're dad? I…err….um…see what happened was he kinda almost ran over me and my sister and then crashed, I just stayed with him till the ambulance came and the told me I should come too because I….um….I gotta bump on my head look!" he yelled. He was finding himself looking like a stupid guy who couldn't talk. Mackenzie tip toed and looked.

"Oh, yeah that's…that's a big bump there." she said with a smile. Antonio came around the corner and walked over to Mackenzie.

"Hey, can I talk to you for a sec?" He asked looking back and forth between them. Mackenzie wondered what it was.

"Uh, yeah sure, I'll just be a minute." Mackenzie excused herself and watched Rex nod his head.

"What is it?"

"Don't be talking to that guy." Antonio warned.

"What why? Look I know you're like my dad's best friend but-" He waved her off with his hand.

"No-no that's not it. He and his sister are part of a murder investigation that you're dad and I are working on. Don't go back near him, but don't look suspicious either. Just go back to you're father's room, I'll take care of it, I already got some guys outside."

Mackenzie nodded her head, a little scared. He seemed so sweet and nice that she couldn't believe Antonio. I mean not that she didn't trust him, but this Rex guy, he didn't seem like the murdering type. She did what she was told and started walking back to her room, placing a smile on her face.

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When Rex came back Natalie slapped him in the arm.

"Ouch! What the hell was that for Na-….Amanda! That hurt-"

"What the hell was that? How does she know you? You know that's the Detective guy's daughter?" Rex sighed and rubbed his arm.

"Roxy introduced us this morning. I guess there staying at Angel Square." Natalie grabbed his hand and got up.

"Come on we are getting out of here."

"But what about-"

"Fuck the papers Rex." she whispered harshly. "We gotta go alright? We're going to get a plane ticket." They started to walk out the ER doors when they heard a booming voice.

"Hold it right there."

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"What do you want?" John asked unsympathetically not looking at her.

"Michael called me. You know despite what you may think I still care about you." She sat next to him on the bed.

"Yeah right, cared about me so much that you decided to fuck my friend. Really caring Cait." He couldn't help but let out a laugh.

"Last time I checked you were the one who made the decision that you're work is more important than you're family. Don't blame me for you're mistake. That you didn't know that you had the best thing right in front of you're eyes." She looked at him coldly. She knew what pushed his buttons. She had known him for 18 years now and knew him like the back of her hand.

"Oh I still have the best thing right in front of me and it sure as hell isn't you. Its Mackenzie. Look if all you came to do is see if I was okay then leave. As you can see I am." He got up and opened then door for her.

"Oh my. Still the same Stubborn John." She smiled at him.

"Good bye. Give Chuck E Cheese my regards." He almost slammed the door shut until he saw Mackenzie coming.

"What was that all about?"

"Nothing for you to worry about." He looked at her facial expression and could tell everything.

"Spill it." She scoffed at him.

"Spill what?" She played off like it was nothing but he could always tell when she was hiding something. She was terrible at bluffing.

"You're lying out you're asshole now tell me what's going on." He folded his hands across his chest and leaned on the door frame. She deeply inhaled. 'Antonio is going to kill me' she thought.

"I don't know if I should tell-"

"Mackenzie Eve if you don't tell me what's going on right now,"

"I think Antonio is arresting someone on the case that you guys are working on. Out in the commons."

"What?" he questioned. "Stay here." he grabbed his gun and stuffed it in his pocket.

"Dad I don't think that's a good idea…uncle Mike said that you needed to be watched-" she watched him walk out the door not even listening to her.

"Well never mind." she flopped down on the couch and waited.


	4. Chapter 4

-1I know I said I wouldn't update till after exams but…well I could wait. Ha-ha. Besides who likes exams anyway? REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!!!! Reviews are pretty much amazing…WAY better than exams.

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Natalie sat in the questioning room, she hadn't seen her brother for over two hours. She tapped her fingers against the desk as the man who she and Rex saved. ' my god he's gorgeous.' she thought to herself. His eyes had a lot of back round to them. They were a dark blue, that had a lot of hurt and anger behind them. John pulled up a chair across from her. Natalie put on a brave face. She had to protect Rex, at all cost. John looked at her, trying to put in the back of his mind the discussion he had with Mackenzie earlier at the hospital.

FLASHBACK

_Mackenzie sat there on the bed, bored out of her mind. She was suppose to wait until her father came back. She started to fall asleep on the bed until John came barging in the room, she sat up quickly._

"_Do you think you can spend the night at you're mom's?" He questioned her. She looked up at him and wanted to tell him no. She knew he would be going to work and then she wouldn't see him until next weekend if they, he and Antonio, were done with the case. She never should have told him what was happening._

"_Why?" She wanted to know what was going on. Maybe she could stay at the hotel. She didn't want to go back home with her mom unless she absolutely had to. She didn't want to deal with Chuck. _

"_Because we arrested the people in the case that I have been working on. I won't be home a lot and it would be safer for you to be at Caitlyn's."_

"_Dad I'm almost eighteen. Don't you think I can take care of myself at your room? I mean for god sakes I'm going to be living on my own soon." She wined. She didn't care if she was sounding selfish or childish. She wanted to be with her dad and her dad wanted to be with work._

"_Kenzie, It's not that I don't think you can take care of yourself-"_

"_Oh so you don't trust me?" she scoffed. _

"_What? No! I trust you with all of my heart. But what I don't trust is the people out in that hotel. What if they know you're by yourself?" He always worried over her, wither she knew it or not. They way she saw is that he didn't trust her. She sighed, knowing that she wasn't going to win._

"_Fine, but do I have to go to mom's?" _

"_Where else would you go? Wait, why don't you want to go over there?" he sat down next to her on the bed._

"_I just don't. I have to go be with her every week day, I don't want to be there on the weekends too." She didn't look at him. He could tell she was angry. But there was something there that she wasn't telling him. He didn't press the matter. That would just piss her off more. Michael came in with some papers, feeling the tension in the room between the two._

"_Uncle Mike can I stay with you and Marcie?" Michael looked at her and then John. He wondered what her want to stay with them but he didn't mind._

"_Uh…sure if its alright with you're dad." Michael looked over at John as he nodded in approval. He dug in his pocket and pulled out his keys._

"_Take my car, get you're things and Charlie and I'll have Marcie come and pick me up." He smiled at her as she smiled back."_

"_Thanks Uncle Mike." She hugged John, grabbed her purse and walked out the door._

"_Bye dad."_

"_Bye baby." As soon as she left Michael glared at him._

"_Why does she want to stay with me and Marcie?" he asked._

"_Because I have to work on a case." Michael sighed. Why did it not surprise him that's why? He should have figured it out soon._

"_Jesus John you and you're work." He nodded his head back and forth. "What about you're head?"_

"_Fuck my head I'll be fine. Listen I got to head over to the station. Just make sure that she's okay and not to much trouble." He grabbed his coat and wrapped it around him._

END OF FLASHBACK

John sat his coffee cup down on the table. He was with Natalie's brother and within the hour they were talking he cracked like a egg. He told everything about her and Christian's relationship. How he would abuse her and treated her like she was nothing. Supposedly, Rex was sleeping over after a breakup with a girlfriend and heard them fighting. Christian was hurting her and he did what any other brother would do. He and Natalie fled and stayed with Roxy, their mother in Angel Square Hotel. He couldn't believe that they were right under his nose.

"Well first of all, I want to tell you thank you , for saving me. You and you're brother. I'm John McBain." Natalie nodded silently. She was pretty quiet. He eyes held a story, years of abuse. They looked scared and alone. But they also looked fierce at the same time. They had a tuff hardcore image, but John could see right through them.

"Second, why did you kill Christian Vega?" He went straight to the point. Rex told him she would be a hard one to break.

"What makes you so sure of you're self that me and my brother had anything to do with my fiancé's death?" She said sternly. "When the hell can me and my brother get out of here?" She stood up and started pacing.

"Because Natalie you're brother was scared shitless and spill everything to me." He looked her in the eye as she stopped pacing in the middle of the room. John tried reading her face as Natalie did the same but both were good at not showing emotion.

"You're lying. My brother wouldn't tell you assholes anything." John sighed and pulled out the tape from his coat pocket.

"Do I really need to show you that Rex spilled?" Natalie came back and sat down.

"Yes, with sound. I know how you guys play people." She said nasty. Man he pissed her off. John got the vibe and felt the same way. She was no dummy to be tampered with. He could imagine for some reason that she had been in situations like this before. As he put in the tape he looked at her. Damn she was hot when she was mad. I mean she was hard headed, but angry was a good look on her. Natalie watch and heard how her brother told everything and sighed. 'it was self defense' she heard. Rex would tell him five times every minutes.

"Okay, okay." Natalie waved her hands in the air.

"Natalie listen I know you and you're brother is scared. He was only helping you the only way he could. It was self defense, like he told me." John raised her chin. "Its going to be alright." He told her. She smacked away his gesture.

"Fuck you okay? You don't know anything about me or my brother. Just let me see him, is he going to go to jail?" She got up and headed toward the door. John couldn't believe her. He was trying to help her and be kind and caring to her and she just blew it off like it was nothing. This girl infuriated him, and turned him on at the same time. He had never felt that away about anybody before, not even Caitlyn.

"I'll take you to him."

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"Thanks for letting me stay Uncle Mike." Mackenzie sipped her hot chocolate slowly.

"No problem sweetie, you can stay with me anytime you need to. I'm just surprised that you wore Tommy out that fast. How did you do it?" Mackenzie smiled as she sat her cup down on the table. She loved coming over to her uncle's house. It was warm and inviting. She love Marcie, she never really acted like a aunt but more of a sister and she love Tommy. He was a little pistol, full of energy and laughter that he could make the angriest people put a smile on.

"It's magic. No, not really. We ran around and played hide and seek till it got dark and then came inside and pretended to be power rangers." Michael smiled in amazement of his niece. He remembered when he got to hold her in the hospital and how proud John was. Even when she was just a baby she was a small version of John.

"You're so good with him and he loves you to death. You know, contrary to what you may have heard, John was amazing with you to. " He wiped down the table and slung the towel over his shoulder.

"Oh god, memory lane." Mackenzie laughed and rested her head in her hands. Michael sat down across from her.

"He loved doing everything with you, I mean maybe the whole diaper stuff, didn't really to appeal to him but he would do just to spend time with you."

"Great, me and dad bonded by him wiping my ass? That's one to tell the grandkids when I'm older." She laughed at herself and heard a snicker out of Michael. "I wish he still felt the same way about spending time with me." Michael's heart broke when he heard those words. He knew John loved her with everything in him, but he was now working so much he wasn't spending enough time with her.

"Sweetheart he loves you to death. Straight up my brother can be an ass. You're important to him but his work-" Mackenzie cut him off.

"His work is important to him too. I know I know I just wish he would…I don't know." she got up and washed her cup out and placed it in the dishwasher.

"Skip it?" Michael questioned.

"Yes. He keeps telling me he's sorry but…I guess I'm just used to it now. I'm going to go and head on to bed." She turned around but before she could make it up the stairs he stopped her.

"You're father loves you, he may not show it much, but John is not one for expressing himself." Mackenzie laughed.

"Yeah I know." She hugged him tightly. "Thanks for the pep talk Uncle Mike. I needed it." Michael smiled and kissed the top of her head.

"Anytime."


End file.
